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Darvill’s Bookstore is pleased to announce the start of its own bookclub. Pam Evans, bookclub moderator, says that the club is open to all. It will meet the second Tuesday evening of each month at 7 p.m. at the store. Book selection will alternate between fiction and non-fiction, and suggestions are encouraged. The selection for the April 8 meeting is “The Invisible Wall,” a biography written by Harry Bernstein about growing up in a divided community during World War I.
The Orcas Island Lion’s club is beginning the sale of tickets on April 4 at Island Market for of one of the island’s favorite fundraisers. The “Super Shopping Spree” winner races for up to $1,000.00 of Island Market groceries in this hilarious and raucous challenge which takes place on Sunday, April 13. Included is $100 of meat donated by Island Market. Groceries may not include alcohol or spices. The winning ticket is drawn on Saturday afternoon, April 12 and the winner will be notified at that time. Buy your raffle tickets from any Lion’s Club member or at Island Market on Fridays, Saturday and Sunday afternoons beginning April 4 and at the Health Van on North Beach Road on Monday and Tuesday, April 7 and 8. Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5. Proceeds from the raffle ticket sales support the local Health Screening van, an annual Orcas Island event, as well as local sight and hearing projects. For questions or to purchase tickets contact Pam Harney, event chairperson at 376-6222.
Orcas Christian students in first through fifth grades recently attended the Seattle Children’s Theatre production, “100 Dresses,” based on the 1944 book by Eleanor Estes.
On Tuesday, April 8, at 7 p.m. Dr. Peter Olesiuk of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada will discuss the five species of seals and sea lions that frequent the region’s marine waters. Olesiuk, a Research Biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, is Head of Seal and Sea Lion Research Programs in Pacific Region. He works out of the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo, B.C. His lecture is part of the Orcas Island Marine Science Lecture Series.
On March 15, about 60 islanders gathered to share “wonderful things” with a team of archaeologists from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture. Dr. Julie Stein, Director of the Burke Museum, with Laura Phillips, Collections Manager, Stephanie Jolivette, Outreach Coordinator, and Amanda Taylor, graduate student, examined and identified artifact collections from Orcas and the surrounding islands, as well as some interesting objects from around the world. The event was sponsored by Island Excavating.
If every day is Earth Day, how about a month of Earth Day activities to learn about and care for the health of our environment?
The Orcas Island Recreation Program is offering a field trip to the Coffelt Farm, Saturday, April 5 at 10 a.m. Children and parents will walk the farm to get a feel for the land and what it produces. The focus of this visit will be on the sheep barn where newborn lambs and ewes spend a couple of days after birth. Lambing is a busy time of year at Coffelt’s; children will see how to care for newborn lambs, dock tails, weigh, put in ear tags. Ruby the sheep dog is a working shepherd and the kids will learn how she helps with the sheep. Children will look at products made with wool from the farm, handle some raw wool, and talk about why it is warm and water-resistant. If there is time and interest, the kids can try carding some wool, and have a spinning demonstration. Open to 15 children who register in advance. To RSVP, call the Orcas Island Recreation at 376-5339.
The Orcas Island Lions Club has donated an Aladdin Classic Video Magnifier to the Orcas Island Library. The magnifier is designed to be used by people who have visual impairments which make it difficult or impossible for them to read ordinary printed materials.
WSDOT Ferries Division announced on March 27 the Todd Pacific Shipyards was the apparent low bidder for a contract to construct a new 50-car vessel based on the Steilacoom II design. The formal bid opening was held earlier that day. Todd submitted the only bid with a proposed bid price of $25,985,125. The WSDOT engineer’s estimate is $16.8 million. WSDOT will conduct a bid evaluation over the next few days before announcing an award recommendation.
The Lopez Fire and EMS Department, which is staffed almost entirely by a hardworking crew of volunteers, is in need of firefighters.
